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a terrible painter, a dreamer, a rebel , a feminist and a self certified bisexual Witch. Who is always trying to visualize whats on the other side of the canvas she paints,just another human- Living alive Life. Now also a green tea addict.

Thursday, 26 June 2014

(After writing for almost three years every month I feel
really happy to present the 100th blogpost.
I am not a very well versed or smart blogger here yet to have found
readers and becoming good friends with them matters a lot to me. Every
experience or event that has happened in last three years has found its place
in my blog. Like all the experiences I have shared and the twisted
misadventures or ramblings have found place here. To all my reader friends the
final part of the travel series comes in words)

Everyone has a desire, a wish and a dream to look out for.
Whenever my friends spoke about their summer vacation trips I would often bite
my lips as I had no story to tell. Four of my summer vacations were spent
cooped up in a rickety building which is an insult to architecture in city of
joy. When my best friends would happily chant about their trip to Goa or Puri I
would imagine them in the calm blue playing with foam of sea. Every time I
retraced the old albums I would see my sister in a wet boxer double her size
playing in the water. Elder was happily playing in water with my parents. How
often have I dreamt of pushing her aside to share the frame with my bickering
parents? For more than fifteen years I made sure I kept the grudge in my heart
and used it in my arguments to prove that my parents favoured my sister. (Trust
me they still do)

The closest I have come to experiencing sea waves have been when I was
trying to squeeze out my head from the train window to watch the Chilka Lake.
Another experience was in Wonderla when we went to play in the artificial wave
pool, but the mighty joy was marred as certain someone had attempted to kill me. My
ocean dream had been limited to hearing stories and watching Monkey D Luffy
conquering the grandline step by step. (Monkey D Luffy is the protagonist of
Manga-Anime series One Piece) So with those treasured experiences I had kept my
idea of great Oceania.

Last December after my fifth semester exam I escaped to my
safe haven that’s my sister’s place. My sister and brother-in-law decided to
take me on a trip to Digha, the sea town of West Bengal. So my long harboured
question ‘How does a person without the power of vision feel when for first time she gets to see?’ was going to be answered. Yes this experience was nothing less than
that that feeling. On train from Howrah station, my sister, brother-in-law and
his sister- Naughty and me four of us set for Digha in Digha express. After
discussing world philosophy in the train with Naughty for three hours, we
reached Digha station. When we
stepped out on the summer station, yes it was hot I was overwhelmed by the
large scale population visiting Digha.

First thing that caught our eyes was the motor-tonga for
transportation, which three of us wanted to ride, but my brother-in-law took a
car as we had luggage to protect. So soon we were in our beautiful hotel and Naughty and
me we were given separate room to our happiness. Naughty and I we were on cloud
nine as our room was decorated in green and our bed was huge. After bathing and
freshening up we visited the coastline to get the first glimpse of the shining
blue. Though I wanted to run and leap into the sea my guardians pulled me back
and we were riding a Tonga around the coastline and we visited the aquarium
house and saw varieties of fish, crabs and coral beings. We saw many types of
creature but the thought ran in Naughty and mine mind was how good they tasted.
Next we were boating in a mini natural water park, it was a natural fresh water
lake which had been decorated with flowers and decorative concrete animals. My
brother in law proved to be a good navigator and like Nami (From One Piece) he
rowed our boat between the fragile pillars of the wooden bridge. After boating
for forty five minutes and splashing water we were in another park with similar
natural lake and boating facility. But this one had a toy train in it. Toy
train ride is must for three of us and we took the ride. The train made a
peculiar noise like a broken truck and it took rounds of the park. Though my
huge grin was stuck to my face, my own heart was jumping in joy and my sculpted
teeth justified my happiness. At last the tonga flowing down the broken roads
and slashing tall shadows of hotels bought us to the much awaited beach. But
this witty brother-in-law of mine forced us to eat first.

motor Tonga

Credit:- my brother-in-law

Toy Train

After stuffing down ourselves finally I was in front of the
famous Digha beach. I had ever seen so many shades of blue. My answer to
question was in front of me, it was vast and mesmerising. I also wonder does
the sky realise how beautiful its refection is in the sea. Whose indigo it is I
think as the horizon blurs I can see the sky and sea coupling. The wrinkled
waves create foam and when they touch the feet a tingle runs up the body. In
matter of moments I was conquering the sea, my deepest and most cherished
dreams. I rolled my jeans up and I was playing with the water I so dearly
wanted to feel. Two decades of living in this human body and I was kept aloof
from such beauty. The beach was filled with multitude and some old men
deliberately showing of their ragged underwear band, while another woman was protecting
her long white skirt from the wet sand, a girl in yellow frock runs past me to
chase her father, some couples hugging each other and enjoying the orange hue.
Everything was what I had imagined; the blue was out there waiting for me. It’s
no surprise to my reader friends that I am not the bravest soul on earth, but
water is an element which can hold my gaze for hours.

In the deep blue sea

The brown beach was spoiled with green allege created from
the horse dung, the oil leaking from the adventure sports made the beach
greasy. Some people were paragliding if that’s the right word. Some were riding
on banana boats and others rafting. My adventure loving companions were soon
making me wear the fluffy yellow jacket to protect me from drowning. With a
weird face I was seated on the orange raft and my twisted fate had to bonk my
head again. The witches sent a warning that no matter what, I will never have an
easy start. So when the captain of our
raft pulled the string of the motor he hit my head hard, like a hammer breaking
the old terracotta piggy bank. Once the raft started the man asked my sister
how far they wanted to go. The answer was an obvious one “As far as you can
take me”. Our raft zoomed past the blue and slashing the water and creating
foams that were flying high and vanishing in the air. My brother-in-law got his
subject-me, as my expressions were worth millions from scared to amuse to
excited, I was a sketchbook on water.

After we returned to the beach they wanted to paraglide and
I borrowed little courage from them. But lucky I the breeze was gone and our
money was refunded hence we decided to take photographs and enjoy the twilight
and the advancing night. We sat on the huge stone walls and saw the ocean
reclaiming its land back. The heavy breeze shook us like leaves in winter. With
a bowl of chat(street food) and coffee in our hand we braved the darkness of
the night and the breeze. The only thing that kept pinching the psyche was
twenty years, fifteen summer vacations and I never realised what I missed.
Sometimes we are so melted in our ordinary lives that it never hits us that
there is a universe waiting to be explored. After feeding the dogs my leftover
egg roll and the fish fry from Naughty we were back to hotel eating one thing I
hate most on trips- Indian version of ramen- Chowmin.

fish fry, the Bengali's can never say no to fish

shell shopping time

my first starfish

Beautiful isn't it? Credit- brother-in-law

my ginger feet

abandoned kid's sandal

sunset... Credit- Brother-in-law

Though Mother Nature had conspired with the three witches
and my body was on nature’s call for monthly ransom of blood. I refused to back
down. Next day early morning in my short jeans and my sister’s old T-shirt I
was on the beach. My bother-in-law stationed to his role of photographer and
Naughty in her pyjama shirt and knee length trouser was my guide into the sea.
My sister in her usual mood to drown me was there to lead to me to the abyss.
Finally I was in the middle of the sea, not middle but playing in water. The
water was playing at my knee and Naughty was holding my hand, the first thing I
did was taste the water to make sure that sea water was indeed salty. Though
when my sister failed to convince me to sit on the beach and let water drown me
till me neck she left us pouting. Pouting she was on the rocks, and posing for
my brother-in-law. Slowly I realised that with the waves the sand beneath my
feet was moving and creating hollows. The waves started their full out attacks
and Naughty and I we jumped high and I drowned twice. With every wave I
realised that the water level was rising while I stood in same position. I was
happily playing and facing the waves. Later brother-in-law pointed out to us
the fishes that were being brought by the waves. Naughty is a person with only
skin and bones and she was being carried away by the waves from me like lovers
being pulled apart by parents in bollywood movies. When I am in contact with
water I feel a sudden calmness, it drains out the thoughts that cloud my mind. Be
it under shower in bath or rain pouring, water has always enchanted me. Once I
had the desire to get diluted in the water of Ganges. This time I wanted to be
become the drop of ocean but before I could become the part of the infinite
cycle, the thought broke with the huge wave breaking on me. After playing in
water for more than two hours my sister pulled us back.

Rocky ford

waves

more waves

that's Naughty and me

After the play Naughty and me we were collecting shells.
Naughty caught a living creature and had to let it go. My sister under the shed
was receiving foot massage and we all got inspired and booked ourselves the
services. While my sister and Naughty relaxed under the shed, I again answered
the voice of sea. I was lazing around in the water when I found a mother
daughter duo standing meters away from me. The young girl was debating that her
mother should have worn the swim suit she bought. The mother was surprised but
declined the accusation, but the daughter was so observant that she started
describing the colour, design and pattern to her mother’s dismay. Little tyke
had mistook the undergarments for swim suit. Another woman went to play into
the water wearing long skirt and ended governing her skirt in the water. It was
fun watching a group of boys playing beach volley and deliberately diving into
the water. Another three year old girl was leading her fearful mother into the
water. Had it been my mother she would have shot me into the water like a rocket.
I got my foot message and I was in haven, body massage is something I suggest
everyone to enjoy once in her lifetime. It’s in my priority list that one day I
will have full body spa.

puppies we always find them

Built in the year 1371, Chandan Ishwar Temple

Talsari

credit:- brother-in-law

at Talsari

Later in the afternoon after delicious lunch we were heading
for Talsari. On our way to Talsari we visited an old temple Chandan Ishwar made
in the year 1371. In the temple I could not enter for the ancient reason. But
my sister and Naughty came out fuming like dragons. They had a verbal duel with
the priest which shot an anger arrow in my sister’s head. From there we went to
another picnic spot where the sea had broken up and created its own place. It
was beautiful place for backwater and a major fishing spot as boats were
waiting there. We met a puppy dog there and tried to cross over to the other
side of the bank but we failed. After walking there and collecting more shells,
we were back at bus station as our train had been cancelled. So with tons of
happiness and one clear feeling of permanent nostalgia I was happily asleep in
the bus ride back to home.

P.S- I see I conquer.. (Next post, the blog's name will change to something, I am still pondering)

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

(Finally my graduation exams are dealt and forgotten and I
am hooked with world cup. Today we present blogpost 99 of the travel series.
This is about the short trip which my elder sister treated me with, before
exams. Since you have read I was so frustrated and irritated that it compelled
my sister and brother-in-law to treat me to a pleasure trip. We took this short
trip to Darjeeling, the world famous hub of tea)

After the general elections on 24th April, my
sister and me we were seated on the train to our destination Darjeeling. This
trip was something of a secret mission on part of my elder sister and mom. As
we took this trip in whispers, my maternal grandmaD and grandpaD were
misinformed and kept in dark. To them we were going to Phuntsholing for picnic.
My sister who is apple of the eye for my grandparents lied to them like
Yudhirster lied to Guru Dron for my sake.

We reached Shiliguri station early in the morning and soon
we were in our private taxi and climbing up the green hills. We were gliding up
and down, sometimes it was sharp turn other moment a sudden steep. The pines
looked like inverted green ice cream cones. Half way up the road I had drifted
to sleep since I am not the person who will claim she loves morning. But when
we reached Kurseong I was woken up by the commotion in the market place and
colourful buildings. The best thing about hill stations is that they never
betray the imagination. Though the hills of Ruskin Bond are better, Darjeeling
is none the less. The constant movement of clouds among the green and the
colourful matchbox houses peeping in and out of nowhere add tp its charm. Each
house decorated in various flowers and fury dogs peeping in and out raised my
mood. The pretty girls curved out of the Korean and Japanese movies were a
delight to my four eyes. Some girls are giggling their way to school, some are
draped in outdated outfits yet they look pretty. While a girl bathes her brown
hair on the edge of her stone roof another shines under the sunlight and her
butter yellow skin appears translucent. It’s a mystery to me how these pretty
women can walk the hilly roads with heel shoes taller than me. Deep down I my
primal instinct wanted to bring them as souvenir back home.

The inverted green ice-cream cones

matchbox houses peeping in and out

green you make me grin

the monastery is on the left

eyes can't stop staring

more green

New at handling DSLR

Outskirts of Darjeeling

After travelling up we finally reached the beautifully
compact and colourful Darjeeling. Our Hotel Dekelling stood at a very good
height and eye capturing position. The
wooden hotel was authentic looking with its heritage from Tibetan culture. The
whole interior was made done in wood and with first step the smell of furnished
wood tingled my nose. The hotel stood for peace and the picture of smiling
Dalai Lama proved it. The owner of the hotel the beautiful old lady in
traditional Tibetan dress welcomed us with her sweet voice. If one closely
looked at her face it seemed she had attained Nirvana. We were asked to enjoy the view in the
recreational room and the Darjeeling tea as our welcoming drink. After almost
an hour we found our room to be the cutest place ever. I had never been to such
a cosy and adorable hotel room and as soon as my sister closed the door I was
jumping on the queen size bed. Half of the room had huge French Windows and I
could see the whole hill station from it.

few from my hotel room

The path leading to male

Attempt taking bird's eye view snap

After having bath and long desired nap we both sisters were
seated in the restaurant below our hotel.
My overzealous sister like always went berserk with the menu and ordered
food beyond our stomachs capacity. But the devil never learns, we were facing a
war with one huge bowl of Thugpa, another huge bowl ramen and momos. The victim
of this war was me as I had to finish up all the food. Our choice of the food
tempted the Irish couple sitting near us and we helped them choose the thugpa. After
stuffing me like a turkey we were riding in the famous toy train. I took the
window seat and soon I my glossed lips was cover in sooth from the chimney and
now shoulder length hair was entangled with pulverised coal. I tried to take
snaps of the beautiful greenery that was passing me by. We stopped at the Batasia loop for site seeing
and my photo obsessed sister began her shooting with her husband’s DSLR .
Though it was I who was greedy after the DSLR, after one finds the forbidden
taste of DSLR, the normal digital camera looks inferior to eyes. But many snaps
came I took were blurred because I could not focus them properly. After site
seeing in Batasia our train began our journey to Ghoom station. In Ghoom
station we drank coffee and had a quick round in the train museum. Ghoom
station is one of those dream stations straight out of Dostoyevsky’s stories.
We left Ghoom station to retrace our path to Darjeeling.

Toy Train

Batasia Loop and our Toy Train rests there

Once back in our place we walked towards male and in male we
found tourists from all over the world. Some eating corns other sipping tea or
coffee. My sister and me we both settled on the green iron bench. After our cup
of coffee we both were feasting in the restaurant and I finished my sister’s
vodka and food as she went berserk again with food. The mall in its darkness
shines like a field with fireflies escaping from the glass jar.

Next day we were on our way to Tiger Hill to view the
sunrise and Kanchenjunga early at four o clock in the morning. In the dark of
the night yes its night for me we were driving up the rickety road. We reached
the hill top shivering under the cold breeze slicing my body. My sister was
positioned to take the pictures and we were standing on the balcony and glaring
at the clouds slowly being lit by the rising orange glow. We waited for long to
view the sunrise and got a soft glimpse of the Kanchenjunga and the silver
lining of clouds. The first streak of orange is like the glowing drop of honey
that ends up on the plate instead of the bread. After our sun came to full view
we were gliding down the hobbit valley and were followed by trails of various
cars. The hobbit valley is the fielders green sailors dream but sadly it’s the
fielders green of the hills. On return journey we visited Buddhist monastery
and offered our prayers and in Batasia Loop bought souvenirs for our family and
friends. At breakfast time my sister
again assaulted me with sausages, meatloaves and sandwiches. Old habits hard
die is a lesson she champions her soul with.

A dog lover finds a dog

fellow tourists

twilight view

Corn Lady

credit- my elder sister :- Sunrise at Tiger Hill

credit- my elder sister :- The sun in its glory

the path leaving Tiger Hill

Another snap

After breakfast we were visiting the Ava Art Gallery which
exotic work of embroidery painting, oil painting, sketches etc. From there my
sister went to climb the Tenzing Rock under the rain and she got bruised and me
with my psychologically limp feet refused the adventure. After that we were in
the zoo, where to our surprise the white wolves were sleeping under the trees
without cage, the bear howling happily without cage, but a small fox was under
massive cage. In the zoo under the sunshine we happily roamed around. Later we
went riding in the Rope Way, in which around fourteen years back we both
sisters had experienced something. But to my dismay I don’t recall it and my
sister recalls the embarrassing and over fabricated version of the truth. The Rope
Way ride took us in and out of the tea garden and we got the ariel view of the
tea garden. Sadly my sister was called here ‘aunty’ it’s a very selfish word in
my eyes when it is used against a twenty six year old married woman who looks
way younger than her age. After that we went to visit a tea garden and where a
Lama took my photograph in his Smartphone.
But the most exciting part of the second day was Japanese Temple. In Japanese
temple I jumped around barefoot in the clogged chilled rainwater. The Japanese
temple is a very quiet place and my obsession with Japanese culture was on
cloud nine. Later in the evening we both had yummy deserts and finally settled
with bowl of soups.

hobbitshire

hobbitshire on the hills

hobbit land

hobbit land

Batasia loop in morning

boat house

more tea trees

green green

Tea garden

green

tea garden

Rope Way

tea garden

the Tenzing Rock

Next day we visited the Maha Kal temple and its rumour that
if one visit’s the temple he or she will defiantly visit Darjeeling again. The
temple is an expression of mix culture of Buddhism and Hinduism as both bells
and prayers hang in the area. The temple is a safe haven for the monkeys who
love snatching the camera and steal our shoes. After breakfast we went to the
curio shops which had really not so curious items with price tag reaching the
sky. Later we packed our bags and checked out in the noon. The Old Lady owner
bade us goodbye with a pouch of her own tea leaves from her tea garden. Again
we were back in the same restaurant where we helped the Irish couple choose the
food; this time we were eating something we had no idea about. Gayanthup- pronounced
as Gundruk is a famous Nepali dish which is made of radish. This dish ruined my
sister’s trip to Mirik as poor girl had constant burps and finally vomiting
happened. In Mirik we saw the Nepal border and beautiful Sumendu Lake blushing
between the hills. We refused horse riding and we walked the whole bank of the
lake. The lake is well governed in the laps of green and it raises a question
as what would Wordsworth do here? At last we bid adieu to the green hills, the
tasty food, tea gardens and pretty girls of Darjeeling. In station after long
wait we got into our train to go home to face our grandmother who had been in
dark for three days. I feel bad that she is so trusting that she believed
everything my sister said and she believed we were three minutes away from her
home. Well when have my stories been simple?

maha kal temple

the gate

I lost count of colours

a pallet of colourful prayers

devotees everywhere

credit:- my sister

I was a scattered specturm

steps to god

happy monkeys

monkey

he wanted to snatch the DSLR

in the recreational room of our hotel

Tibet lives in India

In an Attic Room

Lake Sumendu

reminds me of the bridge scene from Sawariya

Boat stealing episode

too beautiful to describe

he followed us

green I love you green

woods are lovely dark and deep

P.S- In this trip I met a cinematographer whom I had
mistaken for a illustrator, a Hippie Indian who kept smiling and waving me hi and bye, I helped a French Couple
decide their next destination. All this happened in the recreation room and I
don’t know their names.

Simply Witchy Me

All I can describe myself is, I am a Tame Less Tempest, Aim-Less Learner, never aware of what I want.
Born Blank, Raised Ordinary, Lived Ignorant, BUT CATCHING UP my life is a celebration of Books, Friendship, Solitude, Observation, Education and Curiosity.
My life is a toast to living without guilt"- hence I am still Clue Less of what I want.